These days, people are communicating via email more than ever. In fact, for many, it is the preferred method of communication from businesses. According to the DMA and Demand Metric surveys, the return on investment for email marketing was 122% in 2016. This means that if you spend $20,000 on email marketing, you are reasonably looking at a potential $44,400 in gross revenue and $24,400 in profit. It is critical to communicate with customers and potential customers in a manner they will respond positively to. Feel free to contact us today to learn more about the importance of email marketing for doctors.
Doctors are very busy people. Email marketing for doctors keeps physicians up-to-date with their patients, helping them to stay connected in various ways.
Advantages of Email Marketing for Doctors
There are several benefits of email marketing for doctors. Today, we will discuss a few of them.
Effectively Cut Through the Noise Online
The internet is littered with advertisements. From Google, Yahoo or Bing search engine’s sponsored websites to the advertisements on the side of Facebook and other social media, the saturation of online marketing is at an all-time high. Some ads cannot even be stopped by Google AdBlock Plus. So how do you cut through all the noise that currently exists online? You send a personalized email with a catchy subject line that clearly communicates your call-to-action and bottom line. Send the advertisement directly to the customer in a clear and concise manner that ensures it does not get marked as spam and is at least read, even if any links in the email are not clicked on.
Convenient Communication
Email is the most profitable marketing channel in existence today. It is not only cost-efficient, but it also has the potential to offer extreme returns on investment when implemented properly. When you send information digitally across the internet, you do not have to print out any paper, incurring expenses for the stamps, the man hours to print the marketing material, the fuel reimbursement (if applicable) to mail the campaign, the depreciation on the printer, the toner and more. It is easy to see how it is less expensive than physical mail. While 98 percent of adult Americans check their mail on a daily basis, physical advertisements are much more likely to be disposed of than an email is to be moved to the spam folder or deleted.
Additionally, with mail mergers and other automation techniques combined with templates, the time it takes to send out your emails gets cut drastically over time as your process becomes even more efficient.
Automating Alerts, Communications and Reminders
Time is the biggest constraint in a doctor’s office. Oftentimes, you can’t keep up with your workload because something always falls off the list due to something more important coming up. Luckily, there is email marketing for doctors to save time and improve efficiency and the customer experience.
Email marketing for doctors is simple, effective and will give you and your team back precious hours in the work week. You can automatically send out communications. Is there a special promotion on the third Wednesday of every month? Make it known as soon as possible by sending out an email to your patients.
You can also send out automatic emails regarding post-operation or treatment instructions, reinforcing the guidelines you set both verbally and in writing during your meeting with the patient. This allows patients to both recuperate faster and feel like they are a top priority.
Automatically send emails informing new patients of the benefits and value you provide a few days before their appointment. This solidifies you as an authority figure, ensures they are prepared to receive the best care possible and helps to remind them of their appointment. This significantly reduces the number of no-shows.
How to Launch an Effective Email Marketing Campaign
The potential return on investment for email marketing for doctors is astounding, but it has to be done correctly. Here are some helpful tips.
Catchy Subject Line
Consumers and sometimes computers make an instant decision to either read an email or mark it as spam. A catchy subject line improves the likelihood that an email will at least be opened. Include a call-to-action such as “still time”, “hurry” or “get it now” to incentivize your clients to open your email. Additionally, don’t be afraid to get to the bottom line by using key phrases such as “welcome” or “congratulations.” It is unlikely clients will open an email if they do not know what it is about.
Personalization
Studies show that personalizing your emails results in 27% more click rates and 11% more open rates than non-personalized emails. Since this tactic does not work all the time, don’t bother personalizing emails to potential clients. Only use it on ones you already have. Personalized emails may annoy some individuals as they feel the familiarity is uncomfortable or unprofessional. You don’t want to alienate potential or existing clients.
Content Clarity
Your email campaign should consist of clear, precise language and clearly communicate your services. Simplicity and lucidity in your content leads to improved understanding. This results in additional clicks and a higher open rate. These days, ideas are communicated through infographics and images, so keep your text short and sweet. Remember the old adage that a picture is worth 1,000 words.
Creative Design
Nobody likes monotony, so make sure to use a creative design. Whether it is subtle or vibrant, make sure it syncs up with your healthcare campaign. The two should not clash. The design should clearly highlight the offer you are promoting in your email and not detract from the message.
Clear Instructions
Email marketing for doctors is most effective when it is structured and concise. Make sure the reader understands what to do so your call-to-action is effective and you get the results you want. Clearly delineate the necessary steps to the desired destination if you are sending out a process-oriented message. Keeping things simple for your customers leads to the best results.
Make Consumers Feel Special
While acquiring new patients is important, it is much less expensive to keep existing patients than acquire new ones. In addition to this, existing patients are a great marketing resource for you as they review your services online, and word-of-mouth is one of the most effective means of generating new business. Foster trust and build long-term relationships by establishing more than just health tips in your email marketing campaigns. Offer benefits such as free visits or discounts. Your patients will urge friends and family to become loyal patients of yours so that they can get great benefits, too. It is important that each patient feels like he or she is your most important one.
Compatible On All Devices
According to a 2016 survey, 54% of email messages were read from a mobile phone. Only 30% of emails were viewed via webmail, and 16% of email messages were viewed from a desktop. Mobile phones these days allow consumers to constantly be connected to the world through the internet. Ensuring your email marketing campaign can be viewed from all mobile devices means customers can view information whenever they want to.
Sending Frequency
The frequency with which you send your healthcare marketing email campaign is crucial to the success of the campaign. Over-emailing results in a massive number of unsubscribers emotionally if not statistically. However, under-mailing means you have lost key opportunities to promote your healthcare services and products and inform your patients about what is new. It is always a good idea to capitalize on holidays and local major events to promote your services. A missed opportunity costs much more than the actual cost to send the email.
Who Can Use Email Marketing?
Some of the professionals and practices that can benefit from email marketing for doctors include:
- Plastic surgeons
- Dermatologists
- Medical spas
- Dentists
- Orthodontists
- Chiropractors
- Vein specialists
- Wellness centers
- Anti-aging practices
- Cardiologists
- OB/GYNs
Call Us Today
People are checking emails now more than ever. Although 91% of US adults check their email on a daily basis as opposed to the 98% who check their mail daily, the read rate is much higher, and the cost is much lower for sending emails compared to physical mail. Not only is it significantly more profitable, but it has the potential for a massive return on investment when used properly, and it is inexpensive enough to be a feasible option for even the smallest practices with the tightest budgets.
Call our team at Crystal Clear Digital Marketing to learn more about the importance of email marketing for doctors. We look forward to speaking with you and helping you make the most of your digital marketing efforts. Contact us today to get started!
